curse word

noun

: a profane or obscene oath or word : curse, swear word

Eisenhower could swear as eloquently as most sergeants, but he went easy on the curse words in mixed company.

—Stephen E. Ambrose

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

In the final instance, the frustration crescendoed with a scream — and four-letter curse word — that echoed around the intimate setting at Goodyear Ballpark, reverberating from the mound to the stands to the press box loud and clear. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2023

But what is Alabama’s favorite curse word? —Tandra Smith | [e-mail], al, 5 Nov. 2022

The youngster famously said her first curse word the night Donald Trump won the 2016 U.S. presidential election — and the second occasion was just as memorable. —Emma Kershaw, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2023

Gaga, who has flowing blonde hair, presents herself rather regally, while Warren, who has short black hair, loves few things more than a good curse word. —Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2023

Munger, who has been a significant critic of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, continued his attack on digital assets Wednesday, continuously referring to crypto as a four-letter curse word used to describe excrement. —Paul R. La Monica, CNN, 15 Feb. 2023

One of the gunmen pointed his weapon at Kerr and told him not to get out of the car, punctuating his command with a curse word. —Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2023

Just one offensive or curse word can lead to a parental advisory label, so what’s defined as explicit can be subjective. —Gary Gerard Hamilton, Anchorage Daily News, 3 Feb. 2023

Like Guirgis did for his father, Junior brings a dog into the household to keep him company; Walter calls the dog by a choice curse word instead of his name, but the emotional attachment is apparent underneath the derision. —Julia Jacobs, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above